Category Archives: Stories of Tzaddikim

A close talmid once observed Reb Shlomo Freifeld putting on his tefillin.  After winding the tefillin shel yad around his arm, he stopped and closed his eyes, lost in thought.  Only after a lengthy period of reflection did he continue … Continue reading →

Rabbi Yisroel Yaakov Lubchanski once tried to influence a certain student for many months.  Although he spent much time with the boy, his efforts were of no avail.  The boy just would not yield.  As Rav Yisroel Yaakov put it, … Continue reading →

His appearance was awesome.  He was graced with beauty, but it was wisdom and fear of G-d that lit up his pure face.  When he was was sunk in thoughts of Torah or Mussar, his body seemed to leave its … Continue reading →

The mother of Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv had a custom to collect money for the poor at funerals.  At the funeral of her only daughter, she also collected charity.  When asked how she was able to compose herself in the … Continue reading →

I once went through a serious religious crisis, at which time I considered dropping out of the Orthodox Jewish world in which I had been raised and lived.  Because I knew Shlomo Carlebach to be an extremely liberal and tolerant Rabbi, … Continue reading →

Rabbi  Yehoshua ben Ilem was once told in a dream, “Be happy, for you and a butcher named Nanas will be neighbors in the world-to-come.”  Upon awakening, Rabbi Yehoshua was quite shaken.  He had devoted all his time to studying … Continue reading →

I realized that the mysterious quote I posted on Wednesday was made even more mysterious without the story behind it.  Therefore, I am posting it now (from chabad.org): All his Chasidim strove to be present when Rabbi David of Tolna … Continue reading →

Standing by his wagon, the wagon driver donned tallis and tefillin and recited the morning prayers. In the midst of his prayers, he realized that his wagon was broken. He became occupied with fixing his wagon and was distracted from … Continue reading →